(07-13) 19:16 PDT SANTA ROSA -- Santa Rosa police arrested a man Sunday for assault after he allegedly bit an officer and tried to grab one of the officers' guns during a struggle at a K-Mart store.

Officers were called to the K-Mart at 3771 Cleveland Ave. in Santa Rosa at about 10:40 a.m. after security officers at the store saw the man cutting open boxes of merchandise, taking security tags off items and stuffing goods down his pants.

When the two police officers searched the man, later identified as 39-year-old Santa Rosa resident Michael Leigh Joseph, they found a knife and a bag of methamphetamine, Santa Rosa police said.

While being handcuffed, police said Joseph tried to run away and was tackled. He then allegedly bit one officer several times on the hand and arm. During the struggle, he tried to grab an officer's handgun before the pair managed to subdue and handcuff him, police said.

Both officers were cut on their faces during the struggle, but the bites did not break the skin.

Joseph, who police said was a convicted felon in possession of a loaded semi-automatic handgun, will be booked into jail on charges of assault, methamphetamine possession, burglary and other offenses after he is released from the hospital for injuries he received during the arrest.

The Santa Rosa Police Department is encouraging anyone who witnessed the assault on the officers to call the Violent Crimes Team at (707)543-3590.